1938 Oldsmobile Series L Convertible

1938 was the final year for the rumble seat on coupe and convertible body styles, and the first year of the new Safety Transmission. The latter was like a semi-automatic gearbox that used a clutch to get the car moving, and then could be conventionally shifted, up and down, without manual clutch operation. The more popular Hydra-Matic transmission was introduced two years later and was a fully automatic transmission that would be used in various forms for four decades.

The existence of the Safety Transmission was brief, but it was an important evolutionary step in the engineering of a truly modern automobile.

This 1938 Oldsmobile L-38 Convertible Coupe was given a restoration in the early 1970s by Don Spieldenner. It was awarded Best of Show at the Oldsmobile Nationals in 1973 and an Antique Automobile Club of America Senior First Prize in 1974.

The Spieldenners later sold the Oldsmobile to Fred Greybeal, Jr., of Marion, Virginia, in whose ownership it was refinished in Starlight Blue with a red interior. The Greybeal family sold it in 2007 to Texas collector Richard L. Burdick, who has kept it in his care for over a decade. More recently, it came into new ownership.

This L-38 is the only known surviving Oldsmobile equipped with the Safety Transmission. Other options and accessories include a dashboard clock, dual side-mounted spares, and a Deluxe AM radio.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2024